I used to have this routine. I would get up, get coffee that was hot and fresh thanks to a coffeemaker with a timer, get in the shower WITH the coffee, and steam myself awake. Then I’d sit down at my desk to do my makeup for work, blow my hair dry, and read blogs while I did so. Since I hit the alarm clock’s snooze button as often as I could get away with, I didn’t have much time for this routine, and I was late to work a lot, getting caught up in a compelling discussion about a craft topic, or rubber necking at a trainwreck of an author or a reader or an industry type behaving badly. Once I was laid off permanently (both times, same place) I continued the routine, though I slept in later, not bothering with an alarm clock, so need for the snooze. Coffee and blogs it was, and since I owned my schedule, shower whenever, makeup never. In fact, I had to buy mascara for my son’s wedding a few years ago.
But a funny thing happened along the way. I’d realize riding into work on the bus, my notebook in my lap, my pen poised to write, that I wasn’t writing. I was mentally rebutting the blog comments that had riled me up. Or I was seething over something I’d read that I knew wasn’t true, but had no way of proving without betraying a confidence.
Those feelings ate at me, gnawing and vicious, and I didn’t write. Other times, I found that I wasn’t writing because I was, instead, thinking about the “new way” to develop characters or outline a plot that I’d read about. I wasn’t using my precious quiet time to keep my head focused on my way, my characters, my plot. I’d written how many books by then? I knew what I was doing, knew what worked for me. Yet I was letting the abundance of information out there get in the way of what I was doing. Both good information and bad. Encouraging words and vitriolic. And, yes, some of them mine. Many of those mornings riding to work on the bus, I wrote blog posts instead of pages. My head was busy digesting what I had fed it first thing, and what I had fed it was not nutritional. It was garbage. Tasty, but not the protein and vitamins and minerals and leafy greens and fiber my head needed. Hard to be productive when starting the day with junk food. So I stopped. Not then. Not even after my second lay-off when I knew I was home for good. I still spent countless hours each week cruising blogs and message boards, rarely commenting but seeing what was being said. What did readers like. What did they dislike. What authors had made sales. What houses were buying what genres. It was an information overload of the worst sort. It wormed its way into the synapses of my brain and refused to let the good stuff fire.
So I stopped . . . late last year, maybe. Or earlier this one. I had a book to finish, a lot of research to do for it, and found that I was spending my online time reading about forensic hypnosis instead of gawking at flame wars or wondering why I had never considered that particular way to write a synopsis. I was busy, I lost track of what was going on in the blogosphere. And I never went back. Biggest shocker of all? I don’t miss it. Not a bit. I still check two or three blogs daily, more as I have the time. I have good friends whose thoughts I enjoy reading, but I know it’s going to be a fun time when I go there. Like limerick reviews. Or storytelling insights. I also visit other blogs where I know I’ll enjoy the happy dog moments and never have to worry that my ire will rise.
When my ire doesn’t rise, when I don’t spend time wondering about what anyone but my editors like, when I pay no attention to the way others write and do my own thing, guess what happens? I have ideas. I have words. I get struck by the inspiration that had given up trying to sow seeds in the detritus of my head, unable to find even the smallest patch of fertile ground in which to send down roots. No, I don’t know what’s going on out there in the blogosphere half the time. In the industry, even. Emails from friends are the only way I get word of this news or that. And I’m okay with it. Maybe one day I’ll get back to making rounds.
Maybe I’ll even get back to blogging regularly at my own site, rather than throwing up (Freduian, much?) the occasional post, but my new routine suits me just fine. I sleep late. I visit with whatever family members are still at home, I drink my coffee while checking my business email, then I get down to the work. It’s a good life. Think I’ll keep it. What about you? Do you find you’re spending too much time reading about writing, or talking about writing, or studying writing, and not writing?
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GIGO applies to what goes into your head, especially when your livelihood depends on what comes out. I never had endless time for online activity with two kids, and last year I scaled way, way back further, and I don’t miss it. I realized some time ago I’d rather spend my reading time reading. Like, a book. *g*
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Charlene, My problem was that I did have a lot of time. I worked a reception desk instead of in accounting when I went back to the day job from 06 – 07, and I had permission to read and write and surf. Plus, I’m an early empty nester, so it’s been just me and the husband at home for a number of years. And since we both work from home (at least most of the time) our schedule is our own. I kept telling myself, just a few more minutes online, then I’ll write. Those few minutes turned into a gazillion before I knew it! And, yes, why wasn’t I reading books instead!
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Getting out of the internet rat race is exactly what I’m doing. Like you Alison, I found myself focusing more on writing interesting blog posts than actual writing, and also got caught up in the whole “what are readers saying, what is selling, who’s the next IT author, etc” instead of focusing on me. I’ve had to learn to be jealous of my time, and also now allow myself to get wrapped up in making “connections” or stoking up blog visitors. The only way a book get’s written is to write it, not socialize or spend countless hours online (telling yourself that you’re doing “research” on the market or for your next book
).
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Evangeline – Writers soak up everything around us in ways others don’t. It’s why we’re able to relate the emotions in our books the way we do. Or it plays a part anyhow. So, yeah. Feeding in all the negativity might give us an edge in writing negative stuff, LOL, but for the most part, it’s garbage in, garbage out, like Charlene says!
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I hate the online thing. More and more each year and I have a handful of blogs I check, a few of them having to do with art, not writing. But how often do youi think a person SHOULD be blogging? I would leave that off completely if I weren’t so scared by the YOU MUST BLOG for PROMO end of e-publishing.
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Eva – I don’t think anyone should be blogging unless it’s something they want to do and enjoy. I’ve taken more than one long hiatus on my own blog and watched my stats rise and fall. But oh well. My books are what I want people to read. And most readers are not online as part of the romance community. Dead tree book readers anyhow. I know that’s tougher for digital authors, and also for aspiring authors who want to establish a presence. But in the end, it’s got to be all about the books and nothing else.
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You made me feel so much better about it. I was having a serious case of the guilts. And, frankly, I don’t really care what happens online most days. I’m not suffering from missing the kerfluffles, that’s for sure.
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The kerfluffles get blown so out of proportion, imo. Like, the same things could be handled with a word or two in person!
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Yeah. I think it’s helped me too, as a writer.
But especially as a person because I realized that I really didn’t give a damn any more.
Mind you, my blogs list still riles me some mornings, but then, if it didn’t, then I probably don’t understand what I’m reading.
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May – Yeah, I was really letting a lot of real life stuff slide. Putting off doing other things because of the time I spent online. I’m an addictive personality, my cross to bear, and I know others deal better than I do. But I like this new me a whole lot more!
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I think creative types tend to have addictive personalities, especially in regard to activities that are great for procrastination, the ultimate cross to bear. LOL.
I also think that you need to go cold turkey at some point. Once you realise what a difference it makes in your life, it’s less likely to happen again.
Quitting blogs, both reading and writing them, was probably one of the best things I did for me.
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Agreed on being the best thing I could’ve done for me. PBW’s blog is probably the last one I’ve even commented on. The back and forth at Twitter is fun, and it’s easy to read and follow only those who lift one’s spirits!
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I’ve spent the last two hours reading blogs! I knew I was spending too much time doing this, but didn’t realize how much until now.
I’m pretty sure a lot of them wouldn’t miss me if I never commented again, some of them don’t really contribute anything to me at all except for the occasional rant in my head at something mentioned.
I need to get rid of them. Not all of them. There are four or five I’d need to keep because they’re friends, but the rest?
You’re absolutely right. I need to get back to writing instead of fuming…
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theo – You could do like PBW does and set yourself a time limit each day, or a couple of times a day. I tend to check mail fairly often since I run an online business and am always backing and forthing with web clients. If I didn’t have that to do, I could easily stick to just the few blogs where I get a positive charge!
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The junk food analogy is spot on. If it were at least fuel for the writing fire, then it would be excusable, but instead its useless conflict, empty opinions and wasted hours.
I’m guilty of overdosing as well and have found it difficult to scale back sometimes. When I do, the percolation in brain always makes the switch over to writing. I think I’m going to try to timer trick and see if it works for me.
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Gabriel – It seems like such a simple thing. Don’t get wrapped up online and the writing will flow. Alas, the siren call of the interaction is often so tempting it’s hard to resist!
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Kresley Cole posted this site yesterday that I’ve been looking at. I think I might try the ‘free’ version, see how everything breaks down. But it’s certainly worth looking at and I’m betting a real eye opener…
https://www.rescuetime.com/solo
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I once had a Kresley Cole spreadsheet that was awesome. It kept track of pages written and all sorts of stuff. She’s seriously into that stuff, and I love gadgets, so will check this out!
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I’ve just ditched my twitter, facebook and myspace accounts. The amount of time I was spending on twitter in particular was ridiculous. And the info is, as you say in your post Alison, not helpful for creativity. Now I have to wean myself away from blogs. In fact right now is my morning writing time and I’m not doing it!
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I still enjoy Twitter, but I canceled my MS acct and deactivated FB. I never visited either one. There are some people who can manage the information influx and do just fine. They’re disciplined, know themselves well enough not to doubt their process because of something they’ve read. It takes some of us longer to get there!
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Wow, did this one strike home. I’m a beginning writer who is now in recovery mode. My situation is a little different, but it distills down to much the same thing. I’m underemployed at work and pretty much have free reign to do whatever at my desk. It’s been fun but it’s come back to bite me in the ass.
I wrote the first draft of my first novel on a lark and then became obsessed with learning how to do it ‘right’. I flooded myself with information (blogs of writers! Editors! Agents! Oh my!) and have become completely overwhelmed. Now I’m afraid to write anything for fear of doing something wrong.
I’ve already cut my blog list down by a third, and after reading this post, I’m motivated to slash some more. I’ve stopped posting to all of my blogs except my main blog.
I think my upcoming 50th birthday is causing pressure to ‘hurry up and learn it all NOW’, when I really need to just calm down a little, write some drafts, and take my time. I need to learn how to enjoy writing. Hell, I just need to write, period.
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Liz – I hear ya on wanting to rush and learn. I still don’t know half of what I would like to, especially about the business side of the industry. But I’ve got this new motto: all in good time. When I need to know something, I’ll figure it out!
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Thank you, Alison. That’s what I needed to hear.
I’ve trimmed blogs down to a few that I enjoy, ditched the others and will check a few whenever.
With my writing at a stalled out point, I need something to kick start me to it.
Unfortunately, I don’t know what but sticking my fingers into something else (attempting knitting perhaps or learning to play piano) might be what I need.
Excellent post. It’s nice knowing sometimes not being attached to the internet is a bad thing.
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Kristen – I play around with web design and it’s a great way to balance the creativity. It allows me to play artist, but it’s very linear. There are all those coding rules, etc. Giving yourself a second creative outlet is an excellent idea!
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Umm yeah, I hear ya. And I talked about the same thing myself not too long ago and I haven’t broken the habit yet. I’m still learning. I’m still soaking up the whys and wherefores and how-tos that are free for the taking out here in the big, bad net.
And yes, my production has shrunk in direct correlation to industry reading I do. But I can’t give it up yet. I don’t know how. It was so useful until it turned against me. Now I’m stuck in a bad relationship, but I’m nervous about being a singleton again.
Here’s what I had to say about it:
http://venusvaughn.blogspot.com/2009/05/too-much-reading.html
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Venus – I spent this morning reading a trainwreck, so once in awhile I’ll give in. I skimmed most of the redundant rhetoric, but I still got sucked in. Then I closed all my browser windows and got back to the WIP. I would’ve shut off the wireless completely, but I use the online dictionary too often!
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I decided to blog once a week. That’s it. I post on facebook and twitter maybe once/twice a week, and I did away with myspace.
Now when I write, I use my laptop and I don’t connect to the internet at all. I find it best this way. When I’m done writing, then I can sit in my office at my desktop and read emails or blogs, but I have to finish my writing first.
Now if I can only figure out how to make myself revise a finished novel instead of darting off to a new one….
Comment · June 8th, 2009 at 10:37 am · Link
I think, if not for Twitter, I might not have started blogging again. There’s less pressure to keep up on Twitter too.
But then, my new blog is very different from my previous blog anyway.